Coke cutting with aid of vibration detectors

ABSTRACT

A sensing device is used in the cutting of coke from a coke drum. The sensing device relays to the cutting operator information as to the size and quantity of the coke being cut. The travel of the cutting nozzel may also be controlled automatically in response to information detected by the sensing device.

United States Patent Oleszko et al.

COKE CUTTING WITH AID OF VIBRATION DETECTORS Inventors: Thaddeus J.Oleszko; Eduard P. Kaufmann, both of Burghausen, Germany; Irvin D.Johnson, Englewood, Colo.

Marathon Oil Company, Findlay, Ohio Filed: Feb. 12, 1973 Appl. No.:331,452

Assignee:

US. Cl 201/2; 15/10403; 15/104.1 R; 15/104.l C; 134/168 R; 201/1;

Int. Cl. Cl0b 47/00; C10b 43/00 Field of Search 201/2, 7, 1; 202/241,226, 202/261; 208/131; 134/167 R, 168 R; 15/111403, 104.07, 104.09,104.1 R,

104.1 C, l5/l04.11;340/222,419,236,

July 1, 1975 [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,248,9037/1941 Florez 202/241 2,254,848 9/1941 Holveck t 134/168 R 2,659,88111/1953 Bogot et a1. H 340/261 Primary Examiner-A. Louis MonacellAssistant Examiner-Darrell Sanders Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Joseph C.Herring; Richard C Willson, Jr.; J, L. Hummel ABSTRACT A sensing deviceis used in the cutting of coke from a coke drum. The sensing devicerelays to the cutting operator information as to the size and quantityof the coke being cut. The travel of the cutting nozzel may also becontrolled automatically in response to information detected by thesensing device.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJuu OSCILLOSCOPE l CONTROL MECHANSMANALOG [comm USCELLUSCOPE AMPLlFlER E GECPHONE Fig.

COKE CUTTING WITH AID OF VIBRATION DETECTORS BACKGROUND OF THE vINVENTION I. Field of the Invention The present invention relatesprimarily to distillation apparatus classified in US. Patent OfficeClass 202.

2. Description of the Prior Art The inventors are aware of no relatedprior art. The conventional method of information flow has consisted ofthe operators unassisted visual and auditory input.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION l. General Statement of the Invention Byinstalling a listening device, or vibration detector to sense theintensity of the noise or vibration created as coke drops out of adelayed coker chamber onto a transporting chute or into a train car, acutting operator can determine the efficiency of his cutting operation.If no coke is falling onto the transporting chute, he can move thecutting head up or down until coke begins to fall. From the amplitude ofnoise or vibrations that are detected, he can determine whether he ismaking fines or whether large chunks of coke are falling. This lattersituation is preferable since fines are generally not desired. Thepresent invention is an improvement over conventional methods of cokecutting, where the operator generally has no feedback as to how well heis doing, since steam in the area prevents him from seeing what iscoming out of the chamber and the high level of water pressure that isused in the cutting process makes a loud enough noise that the operatorcannot normally determine audibly if he is making any progress in hiscutting operations. He is also prevented from knowing the size of thecoke particles which he is producing. With the aid of the presentinvention, the operator can cut coke from the coker drum with a greaterdegree of efficiency.

A discriminating device may also be used to distinguish between lowamplitude pulses and high amplitude pulses sent from the sensing deviceto the cutting operator. High amplitude pulses indicate that largechunks of coke are falling, whereas low amplitude pulses indicate thatsmall chunks or fines are being cut. The ratio of high amplitude pulsesto low amplitude pulses may be calculated to determine the efficiency ofthe cutting operation and the average size of the coke being cut. Whenthe ratio moves away from a pre-determine value (calculated to yield aspecific coke particle size), the cutting nozzle is moved on a verticalplane until the desired size of cut coke is again produced.

2. Utility of the Invention The present invention is particularly usefulfor increasing the efficiency of coke cutting operations from a delayedcoker chamber.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I shows the use of the presentinvention in conjunction with coke cutting apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing showing the use of a discriminating deviceto activate an automatic rate of travel control mechanism.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Sensing devices: Any type ofsensing device which is capable of detecting noise, vibration, or thepassage of solid objects may be used with the present invention. Inparticular, a geophone comprising two segments of barium titanate(obtainable from Gulton Industries. Inc. of Metuchen, New Jersey)assembled so that a positive pressure (inwardly directed radial forces)acting on one segment will contribute a positive voltage between theoutput terminal and the ground, whereas negative pressure (outwardlydirected radial forces) acting on the other segment will contribute apositive voltage is used. Hence, the output of the detector depends uponthe differences in the pressures experienced by the two segments.

Loudspeaker: The signal obtained from the sensing device may betransmitted to the operator by a conventional loudspeaker.

Oscilloscope: Any conventional oscilloscope may be used.

Examples:

EXAMPLE I Referring to FIG. 1, a geophone I9 is installed directly belowa chute 15 under a coker chamber 12. This is connected to an amplifier21 and is transmitted through a speaker 20 in the area where theoperator controls the operation. By listening to the sound from thespeaker, the operator is able to tell when he is cutting efficiently andwhen he is not. He is also able to tell the approximate size of theparticles of coke 14 which he is cutting. In response to the sound fromthe speaker, he may raise or lower the cutting nozzle 13 by way of thedescent mechanism 22. In this manner, he is able to clean the chamber inmuch less time than would be possible using a conventional visualobservation.

EXAMPLE [I A geophone is installed directly below a chute under a cokerchamber. The signal from the geophone is transmitted to an oscilloscope.By distinguishing between high amplitude pulses and low amplitudepulses, the cutting operator may raise or lower the cutting nozzle toobtain the desired size of cut coke.

EXAMPLE III A geophone is installed directly below a chute under a cokerchamber. Referring to FIG. 2, a signal from the geophone l istransmitted through an amplifier 2 to a plurality of Oscilloscopes 3 and4. Oscilloscope 3 responds to high amplitude pulses received from thesensing device while oscilloscope 4 responds to low amplitude pulses. Ananalog computer 5 is used to calculate the ratio of high amplitudepulses to low amplitude pulses. When this ratio varies from apredetermined value, an automatic rate of travel control mechanism 6 isactivated to raise or lower the cutting nozzle thereby re-establishingthe desired ratio.

MODIFICATIONS OF THE INVENTION It should be understood that theinvention is capable of a wide variety of modifications and variationswhich will be made apparent to those skilled in the art by a reading ofthe specification and which are to be included within the spirit of theclaims appended hereto. For example, various other types of sensingequipment may be used with the present invention, as may be variousother types of signal manifesting devices. The

from said sensing device is transmitted to the cutting operator by theuse of a loudspeaker.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the rate of ascent or descentof the coke cutting nozzle is controlled in response to the signal fromsaid sensing device.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sensing device is avibration detector.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said sensing device is a sounddetector.

1. IN A METHOD TO CUTTING COKE FROM THE DRUM OF A DELAYED COKER WHEREINTHE CUT COKE FALLS FROM THE COKE DRUM ONTO A SURFACE, THE IMPROVEMENTCOMPRISING THE USE OF A SENSING DEVICE CONTACTING SAID SURFACE TOGENERATE A SIGNAL INDICATIVE OF THE AMOUNT AND SIZE OF THE COKE ANDCONTROLLING THE RATE OF THE COKE CUTTING IN RESPONSE TO SAID SIGNAL. 2.A method according of claim 1 wherein a signal from said sensing deviceis transmitted to the cutting operator by the use of a loudspeaker.
 3. Amethod according to claim 1 wherein the rate of ascent or descent of thecoke cutting nozzle is controlled in response to the signal from saidsensing device.
 4. A method accoRding to claim 1 wherein said sensingdevice is a vibration detector.
 5. A method according to claim 1 whereinsaid sensing device is a sound detector.